Sound detector and recorder



W. J. PEHKI'NS.

,SGUND DETECTUH AND RECORDER.

APPLICATION min MAY 22,13111.

1,329,925. L Patented Feb. 3,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l 3f 30 lll H W. 1. PERKINS.

SOUND DUEGoR AND HECURDER.

Patented Feb. 3,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W. J. PERKINS.

SOUND DETECTOR AND RECORDER. APPLICATION FILED MAY22,1911.

1,329,925. Patented Feb. 3,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3-` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS J. PERKINS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB T0 FRANCES W.PERKINS, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

. SOUND DETECTOR AND RECORDER.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

.mienten Fen. 3, 1920.

Application led May 22, 1917. Serial No. 170,273.

To ZJ wlw/n, it may concern Bc it known that I, Winms t. PERKINS, acitizen of ther United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sound Detectors and Recorders; and I do lierehjYdeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exart description of theinvention, such as will enahlc others skilled in the art to which itappcrtains to malte and use the same.

This invention relates to a sound detec ing and recordingr applianceadapted for u. especialljsv upon ships or other sea going wessels,though the appliance is not limited in any respect to the one particularuse. One of the objects and purposes of the invention is to providemeans which will receive. and visibly record sound waves, the recordthere of beingy such to indicatethc amplitude of the waves and thedirection from which they come and means whereby it can be quicklydetermined how near the sound to thc ship or vessel upon which theappliance is installed. This is of especial value in detecting anddetermining the position 'of other ships during' atmospheric conditionswhich render them invisible from the danger signais intermittentlylsounded from such ships during such periods. A fulther object of theinvention resides in the ready mijustabilit)v of the immediate soundwave .j

V receiving devices whereby they may be shifted to different positionsor quarters -to detect' the presence of sound waves coming fromdifferent directions with respect to the course of the ship on whichthfftppliancc is installed. A still further object of the in; ventionconsists in the provision of mechanism to automatically cut out and`render ineffective the recordingr devices during the same time that thewhistle or other signal is sounded on the ship on which the apparatus isinstalledv whereby a confusion of records may be avoided. Many othersubsidiary objects and purposes will appear to gether with various novelconstruction and arrangements of parts for attaining the ends stated andothers not specifically enumerated, as understanding of the invention ishad from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings bodiment and in which:

` tion. of the recording,r part of t Figure 1 is an elevation ot' themechanism 'with various parte broken away and shown 1n section to betterdisclose the construction.

Fig. 2 is a. side elevation, artly in seee mechanism and illustratingthe means for automaticallr rendering the recording mechanismineffective at certain times and at thc same time. effecting a wirelessdischarge frolnthc ship which with the signal sounded will be rc'-corded ou any adjacent ship having similar apparatus installed.

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary section of one ortion of the sound receivingand recor inf),r appliance.

Fig. 4. a plan view. with parts in ser tion. iiiustrating the differentpositions of the sound receivers and the immediate niechanism for movingthe same. f

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the middle of one ofthe sound re- Cei vors.

F ig. G is 'a fragn'ientary elevation of the record strip and showingthesound and U wireless recording devices associated therewi th.

The construction embodying my invention includes a Vertical non-sonorcuspartitionl at the upper end of which project horizontal covers l asshown, and in "front of which is lorted a relatively narrow verticalsound ha e 1* of the l:form best shown in Fig'. 4.

At each side of partition 1 sound receiving members are located nach` ofwhich may comprise an upper and lower substantially horn shaped member2. lOf course a single member may be used, the-principle of operationbeing the same, The ends of said horns come together and are joined inany suitable manner, either by being formed integral or suitablyconnected in ,any other way. Each horn 2 adjacent its open end may carrya. resonant disk 2 positioned across it for amplifyin' the sound ofWaves coming 'thereto anpf nfor Eig. i' is a plan and sectional viewillus- Se'veral -views of the` j t Serving the additional function ofpreventing Athe entrzinceof waterinto lio vse

the members. formed with double walls separated a short distance fromeach other to make a space 3 into which steam may be introduced throuh npipe 4, the .water condensed from t e steam escaping through outletopeninrs 3 adjacent the lowerinoei'l point of the ower horns 2. Eachsound receiving member is rotatably mounted in the end of a bracket 5such brackets bein connected to and ex tending in op osite dgirectionsfrom the par tition 1 and llieing enlarged and cored out around thesound receiving members through which openings are made at the centerfor the passage of the sound waves into the hollowed out spaces in the.brarkets. A conduit ipe 6 leads into each 0f the brackets 5 t e interiorcommunicating with the hollowed out portion of said brackets. Said pipesmay be led to anyl suitable location for the trnnsmiesion of t ie soundwaves gathered by the sound receivers to the recording apparatus whichwill now be dc scribed.

A diaphragm 'i' is suitably mounted inlthe end Vof a cup 7, its centerbearing against a cap 8`coverin the end of a neck 10 and which is presseao'ainst thediaphragm by a spring 9, preferably of light tension. Thesupport 7 and the neck 10 are preferably case inte al with a member 11attached in any suita le manner at the end of each pipe or conduit G asshown in Fig. 3. The sound waves coming through pipes are concentratedthrough the tapered sides of member 11 and enter the passage in the neck10, impingingr against cap 8 and thereby causing the diaphragm tovibrate in direct proportion to the amplitude oi tliesound waves. An arm7" projects from the` pari- 7 on which is pivotally mounted an arm 12x arecording element 13 being mounted at the. free end of the arm. Theopposite end of the arm is l"pivotally connected to a rod 12* providedwith an enlarged head which is attached to the diaphragm member, itbeing a parent that the vibration of the dia p ragni imparts movement tothe rod 12 which causes'the arm 12 to move. back and forth about itspivot. In practice the distance from the element '13 to the ivot of arm12 is reater than the distance irom tho pivot of t ie arm to itsconnection with the 4rod 12 whereby in recording, the wave length isroportionatcly multiplied and exagiggeriiitedi The end of the recordingelement 13 presses ailrainst a strip 14 which may be of paper or ikematerial adapted to receive the markings of the recordin means, Thestrip passes between the en( of the record ing means and any suitablebearing support 15 as shown. In practice it is desirable to lace a rollof the recording strip on a reel 6, unwind it continuously and move 1tover Each horn 2 may also be operable signal actuates, the lever 22controls a switch 21 in the circuit and a connectin rod 23 leadstherefrom to the danger signa whereby when the vlever is moved to soundthe danger signal, switch 21 is automatically` released, closi ,g i ilcompleting the circuit and thereby energizing the magnet 19, whereuponthe support 15 is drawn away from the recording strip and no record ofthe vibration of the recording means is caused by the signal.

As one means of continuously taking the strip 11 from the reel`enactingr rollers 24 may be used between which the strip passes* Therollers are driven by an \v suitable m0- tor indicated at 2V). I havealso mounted a magnifying glass in front of and at the proper distancefrom the strip 1l whereby the record markings made by the pencil ni'aybe magnified and more fully/observed.

It is desirable that the soiuidlreceiving means shall 'be movable backyand forth through up arc of substantially 180 degrees and stopped at unumber of places in such movements and that the sound wave recordersshall similarly :simultaneously change positions on the recording; stripso that after the strip has received the record any marked wiriatii-m inthe rc1-.ord may be notedv and the (,lii'ection from which the soundcame with respect to the ship readilyv determined. To this end I havemounted the members 11 carrying the vibrating disk 7 upon depending arms27 ofy two bell crank levers each o1' which has a horizontal arinextending toward and pivotally and slidably connected to each other asshown in Fig. 1. From one of the bell crank levers a` horizontal arm 28projects which is connectednt its end to a nut 29 threaded. upon a.thraded section 81 of a vertical shaft 30. The shaft hasan operatingwheel 32 secured in the peri h cry of which a plurality of spaced no-tces 34 are cut cach ada te to receive the end of a spring pressed og 33to hold the Wheel against accidental movements. Shaft 30 at" its upperend carries a pinion 85 which af one side meshes with a gear 36 fixed toone of the soinid receiving devices at one side of the partition 1, thepinion at its opposite Veide meshing with and drivingr a pinion 35 whichiin turn is engaged with a gear 36a4 W hen the' ture 14, it having anarm 44- pivoteily mounted thereon carrying at its end a recording dementNormally arm 314 is elevated by :1` spring ein untii shoulder 4'? on theerm engages ugainstthe support, this moving the recording lever i5 awayfrom thc strip ii. .fin electromugnet 48 is mounted on the support undsssociated with the .fvrin i4 whereby when the n'iugnet is energized therecording element 45. .is brought mto contact with the recording strip14.

When a danger signal is sounded on en adjacent ship und ut thc seinetime u Wiren less discharge given o' from the ship, the ship on whichthey recording apparatus is in-talled has its eloctronmgnct 45%energized h v said discharge through any suitable receiving apparatusytor the discharge, and it 'mark such. es indicated at 49 is mudo ontht` recording strip. The r'hurge and tlul sounding of the Y nal on enudjarcnt ship occur ut the sumo time but the travel of sound is atsubstantially 110() tet-t per second whiley the travel ot' the rientri@discharge is so fast that it may he said to he received practically assoon as the disvhurge is made. This limites un apprwiehle und measurabledilierence in the lliosltioniug of the` Wireless recording mark if) undthe sound were The roeording strip 1i moving ut a predetermined undknown speed by the recording element 13, it is easy to determine fromthe distance liet-veen the initial points or beginnings of the tworecording marks 49 and 39, the iength otiuu which elapsed for thi` dun-,95er signaal to come from its source to the ship on which it wasreceived und, this ienpth ot' time being inionn. the distance of theship from the one making the rese-ord is rendiilv determinen These'tentures as ,shown und many others not speritiraliy outlined u'iilorrur to others siiiiied in the urti :ind I. arcrn'dingiy. do not wishto he .limited to the exact specific construction shown but considermyself entitled to all nnaiiirations falling within the scope of theappended riuizns which deiine the invention. The disclosure made, whiieof :t practical eonstruriion, is to he considered as diagraunzatiiI :1ndillustrative oflfthc invention rather than as limiting it to anyspecific `construction.

I claim: Y

l. in a mechanism of the'einirurter described, :i sound wave receiver, u#support therefor, moons to move suid lcceiver to u pluralityy ofpositions with respect to the support, rerordiug s ipuratus, a recordrereiving member on Winch the recording appointus makes u perm-fuientrecord, and operative. conneetions between said receiver wirelessdisdanger sig and recording up aint-us whereby sound waves coming' to te receiver are rorded in direct proportion to their mitgnitudc and indvltferent positions on sind rc'cord recelv- Vnig member dependent uponthe direction from which sound Waves come to thc sourd receiver,substantiaiiy as described.

In e mechanism of the character dcscribed, a movebiy mounted sound wavercreiving apparatus, recording apparatus connected und associatedtherewith, means for moving a relutivey narrow und long recording strippast the recording apparatus to receive the record made by saidrecording apparatus, and means operated by the movements of thereceiving apparatus to change the position of the recording apparatusrelative to said strip.

3. In a, mechanism of the charmter described, u sound wave receivingapparatus inciuding a lnovably mounted wave receiver and collector,means to move Suid receiver und collector to u plurality of positions, usound wave recording apparatus operatively associated with the receivingapparatus, means to move a record receiving member past seid recordingapparatus to receive the ret-ord mude thereby, and means operated by themovements of the Wave receiver and roilector and operatively associatedwith the rerording apparatus to change the position of the hitter `withrespect tothe record rereiving member when the position of the soundreceiver is changed, substantially as described.

4. In a. mechanism of the `character desrrihed, u sound 'were receivingapparatus 100 including u niovably mounted sound wave rereiver andcollector, means to turn said receiver and collector back und forththrough substantiallyy a scmivcircle in o series oi steps, a. soundwave, recording appu- 105 ratos, connections between the sound waverereiyer and coilector Iand the recording upparatus :adapted to transmitthe sound waves apparatus, means renewed to said recordin to move arecording strip past said record receiving strip, apparatus to receivethe record. mede thereby, und means interposed between the Wave receiverand coiiector und recording apparatus and operated by the former tochange the position of the record- U5 ing apparatus with respect" to theWidth of the strip when the position of the sound receiver' is changed,substantially as desrribed.

In a mechanism of the character de- 126 scribed, u pair of soundwavereceivers, supporting means thereforV on which said receivels arenaovahly mounted to turn about separate `axes, gearing connectionsbetween' the receivers whereb both receivers may be moved simultaneousiyand equal amounts, means for operating said gearing, und a recoi-dingapparatus o eraftiv'ely connected with euch receiver wllicreby soundwaves coming bo w receiyer are recorded in direct. nw

proportion to their volume, .substantiall),r d eseri bed 6. In amechanism of the ehararter devsrribed, two oppositely disposed soundWave receivers mounted to turn aboutvertieal axes, gearing connut-tionsbetween the receivers whereby the same may be turned simultaneously barkand forth through sub stantiailv a semi-circle, means tor operating ithe Same in a plurality ot' ideps, and a recording apparatua operativelyassociated and Conner-.ted with eaeh receiver, substantially asdesi'ribed.

T. In a mechanism of the charm-ter described, a plurality of sound wavereceivers, a rotording apparatm awoeiated and connected with thereceivers inriuding separate recording devices. one for nach receiver,means to move a recording strip past the recording devirea. said stripreeeiving the record made bv all of said devices. and means operatedwith thil movement of the receivers to Change the position ot' therecording apparatus with rvs-peet to said strip, substantiaiiy aSdescribed.

S. In a merhanism of the rliaracter described, a VViartition, soundreceivers mounted one at each side ot the partition adapted to turnabout separate. axes. means ermnef-ting the rteeivers for turning themaimnitane4 onsluv, a shaft operatively associated with said means, and anwmber Secured to the shaft adapted Vfor uae i n mannaiiiY turning theShaft.

9. In a meehanimn ot the ehararter dt',- srribed, a receiver including'upper and lower horns eonnerted together, a hollow bracket in which`Qaid ria-river is rotatabigr mounted, `said reteiver ha Ying: opening@making commnniffatirul heim-en tiainterior thereof and the r-pare withinthil hrariet, means` Vfor turning` the receiver to different. positions,a ronduit hauling l'rom Said Hpaffe, a member having' an opening`therethrough into vvhieh thtl ronduit leads. a diaphragm rlosing theopen rnd of the member. and a recording devire operated h v vibration ofthe diaphragm operaiiveliv assoriated with said diaphragm.

10. In a merlmnism ot' the character dearribed, a. sound wave receiverromprisiug an open ended horn` a ronduit connected to the horn torevolve and condnrt sound waves coming to the horn, a member formed witha passage therethrough to one end of which the Conduit in hecured, a.diaphragm attached to and closing the other and of the member, an armpivotaliv mounted between its ends and carried by said member, a rodpivotailv connected to one end' of the` arm and havingr ita` endengaging with the diaphragm, and recording means rarried b v the ireeend oi' the arm.

l1. In a nierhaniam ot' the charac-ter described. a sound nave receiver`a recording zil'ngaozitils.v inrluilingr a movable refording' element.operative ronnretionsy between Said receiver and recording apparatnsivlnrehv sound waves Coming to the reeeiver are transmitted to therecordingl apparatu.` to agiiate tbe ret-ordine element in direct provportion to the voiume of said waves, a table included in theret-ordini;l apparatus, a rerording strip adapted to pasav over thetable between the Same and the movable rerording,r vivaient and meaiwnorniail)Y pressing the tabie and strip against the reeordingr ele ment.

I2. In a mei-hainaut of the ha exeter de scribed, a pair of sound wavereceivers posi tioned in opposition to each o1 her, means for rotatablyvmounting said receivers, a `mund reeording' device for each receiver.operative Connections between nach receiver and da aSs (iated rerordingdevice whereby sound wave#t received by the receiver` are tram mitted tothe said devices, a yshaft. meeuw for simultaneously turning saidrereivrr` in opposite directions on rotation ot' the shaft. and moanamnnertingr the shaft and the` rif reo'ding deviens ivhvrrbv Mid deviensare moved in opposite dirertiom on rotation oi the allait.

lli. uiefhanizfim a .-iainwd ir. riaim 12 in wha-h rat-l1 rerordinpjlit-vire i-1 t-:uried lav our arm oi' a pivotallv nionntid bell rranli'iever, an operai ive eonnrrtifm iii-torri: the other arms ot' saidleverh4 and menne ronnerting one ot' the ievel's with the shaft to Aturnthe hivers in opposite direetiom about their pivots on rotation o' the(hait.

I4. nierhanism at claimed in .-ifiiin 33 in n'liiri the meansconnecting:r one ot' the lvvow with tin" `ahar't vompl'ises :in armextending from the lever, a nut rured at the end o1' the arm and athreaded section on the shaft on to which the nut, is threaded,subetantiaiiy as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix m1; signature.

W'ILLIS J. PERKINS.

